Three guys in tall black hats announced that the little furry guy (“Phil”) saw his shadow this morning. Big deal. This day has taken on new meaning since Bill Murray made today famous in his 1993 movie, “Groundhog Day.” In the movie, each morning he woke up and lived the same day over and over. Hmmmm…… that sounds like the same emotion we experience when we vote in Oklahoma.
When you walk in to vote each year, does it feel like you have seen this ballot before? The same names appear year after year, sometimes in a different order and sometimes for different offices; but the same names none the less. I don’t mean any disrespect to any of the candidates in Oklahoma; many of them are very fine people with a distinguished career in politics. My question is: In this year of turnover, is anyone else searching for a new name on the ballot and a new person to represent us?
Honestly, I would say this even if I was not running for the United States Congress. I believe there is an overwhelming emotion of anticipation for fresh voices to speak into our political reality. While experience makes a difference in so many occupations, politics seems to be a place where experience gradually diminishes your ability to recognize reality. After a while, everything is done for the next campaign because life is always about the next campaign.
I plan to vote July 27th for several very familiar faces. Several of them I know and they are terrific people. But, I also plan to vote for a few new voices. Would you join me?
What if July 28th (the day after the Primary Election) we woke up to a different day…
